These rules of procedure are adopted pursuant to S.C. Code 6-29-360 for the City of Charleston Planning Commission which consists of nine members appointed by City Council. Initially, three members shall be appointed for a one (1) year term, three members shall be appointed for a two (2) year term and three members shall be appointed for a three (3) year term. Thereafter, all appointments to the Commission shall be for a three (3) year term to keep the terms of appointments staggered.

The office of the Commission shall be the Zoning Division office in the Department of Planning and Urban Development, 3 ^rd floor, 75 Calhoun Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29401.

The officers of the Commission shall be a chairman and vice-chairman elected for one year terms at the first meeting of the Commission in each calendar year. The Commission shall appoint a member of the staff of the City as secretary of the Commission.

The chairman shall be a voting member of the Commission and shall:

a.

Call meetings of the Commission;

b.

Preside at meetings and hearings;

c.

Act as spokesperson for the Commission;

d.

Sign documents for the Commission; and

e.

Perform other duties approved by the Commission.

The vice-chairman shall exercise the duties of the chairman in the absence, disability, or disqualification of the chairman. In the absence of the chairman and vice-chairman, an acting chairman shall be elected by the members present.

The secretary shall:

a.

Provide notice of meetings;

b.

Prepare agendas for each meeting;

c.

Keep minutes of meetings and hearings;

d.

Maintain Commission records as public records;

e.

Attend to Commission correspondence;

f.

Transmit Commission recommendations to the Clerk of Council; and

g.

Perform other duties normally carried out by a secretary.

The Planning Commission shall meet on the third Wednesday of each month at 5 p.m., unless such day is a legal holiday. An annual schedule of regular meetings and submittal deadlines for the upcoming year shall be published and posted in the Zoning Division office by December of each year. Special meetings may be called by the chairman upon 24 hours notice, posted and delivered to all members and local news media. Meetings shall be held at the place stated in the notices, and shall be open to the public.

A written agenda shall be furnished by the secretary to each member of the Commission and the news media, and shall be posted at least five (5) days prior to each regular meeting, and at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to a special meeting. Items may be added to the agenda at a meeting by majority vote.

A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum. A quorum shall be present before any business is conducted other than rescheduling the meeting.

Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of meetings except as otherwise provided by these Rules of Procedure.

A member must be present to vote. Each member shall vote on every question unless disqualified by law. The question of disqualification shall be decided by the member affected, who shall announce the reason for disqualification, give it to the chairman in writing, have it placed in the minutes, refrain from deliberating or voting on the question, and leave the room until the matter is disposed of.

Except for public hearings, no person shall speak at a Commission meeting unless invited to do so by the Commission.

The secretary shall give the notice required by statute or ordinance for all public hearings conducted by the Commission.

In matters brought before the Commission for public hearing which were initiated by an applicant, the applicant, his agent or attorney shall be heard first after presentation of the issue by staff, members of the public next. The applicant shall have the right to reply last. No person may speak for more than five (5) minutes without consent of the Commission. No person speaking at a public hearing shall be subject to cross-examination. All questions shall be posed by member of the Commission.

The secretary shall record all meetings and hearings of the Commission on tape which shall be preserved until final action is taken on all matters presented. The secretary shall prepare minutes of each meeting for approval by the Commission at the next regular meeting. Minutes shall be maintained as public records.

The secretary shall assist in the preparation and forwarding of all reports and recommendations of the Commission in appropriate form. Copies of all notices, correspondence, reports and forms shall be maintained as public records.

The minutes shall show the members in attendance at each meeting and the reason for absence submitted by any member. The Commission shall recommend to the governing body the removal for cause of any member who is absent from three (3) consecutive meetings without adequate reason.

Proposed zoning text and district amendments shall be considered and recommendations shall be forwarded to the governing body within thirty (30) days after receipt of the proposed amendments, unless additional time is given by the governing body. When so authorized, the Planning Commission shall conduct any required public hearing prior to making a recommendation.

Plats submitted for review by the Commission pursuant to land development regulations shall be presented by staff and reviewed by the Commission after a public hearing is held.

All zoning and land development regulation amendments shall be reviewed first for conformity with the comprehensive plan. Conflicts with the comprehensive plan shall be noted in any report to the governing body on a proposed amendment. The elements of the comprehensive plan shall be reviewed and updated on a schedule adopted by the Commission meeting the requirements of S.C. Code 6-29-510(E).

The Commission may reconsider any review when so requested by the governing body, or when an applicant brings to the attention of the Commission new facts, a mistake of fact in the original review, correction of clerical error, or matters not the fault of the applicant which affect the result of the review.

These rules were adopted by vote of a majority of the members of the Commission at a regular public meeting on May 19, 1999.

These rules may be amended at any regular meeting of the Commission by majority vote of the members of the Commission at least seven (7) days after the written amendment is delivered to all members.